6Illinois 49 - 68 Wisconsin
Final
  for this game

Kaminsky, Wisconsin down Illinois

Feb 15, 2015 - 10:51 PM Madison, WI (SportsNetwork.com) - Frank Kaminsky finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds as the fifth-ranked Wisconsin Badgers posted their eighth straight victory with a 68-49 win over Illinois.

Bronson Koenig complemented Kaminsky's 10th double-double of the season with 15 points, while Nigel Hayes and Sam Dekker netted 14 and 10, respectively, for the Big Ten-leading Badgers (23-2, 11-1 Big Ten), who are three games ahead of Maryland in the loss column.

The Fighting Illini (17-9, 7-6) dropped their eighth straight meeting with the Badgers despite getting 15 points from Malcolm Hill.

Illinois, which had won four straight coming in, led 22-20 with just over six minutes left in the first half before the Badgers began taking control.

Dekker highlighted a 12-2 run that ended the half with a steal and tomahawk dunk, and Kaminsky added two late buckets to close out his 17-point period.

"I certainly think he is one of the country's best players," Illinois head coach John Groce said of Kaminsky. "Today he definitely played like it."

Three 3-pointers from Koenig in the first 10 1/2 minutes of the second half kept the Illini at bay, and Kaminsky finished them off. The National Player of the Year candidate's first basket of the second half came with just over four minutes to play, but he scored six straight points -- all in the lane -- during an 11-2 run to end the game.

"We took what they gave us, and that's all we ever do," Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan said.

Game Notes

Wisconsin tied the 2006-07 team for the best 25-game start in school history. That squad won 26 of its first 28 games ... Wisconsin tied a school record by winning five straight league games by double digits ... The Illini came in averaging 71.7 points ... Wisconsin forced 10 turnovers while only turning it over four times.






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